


Uncut Books Lead to Reading Dates Don't You Know

by IvyCpher



Category: Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby (2013)
Genre: Kisses, M/M, library date, soft, soft fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-10-31 22:13:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17857931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvyCpher/pseuds/IvyCpher
Summary: Nick asks Gatsby about his library full of unopened books and it leads to them having a snuggly reading date.





	Uncut Books Lead to Reading Dates Don't You Know

Nick and Gatsby sat at the small table in Nick's little kitchen reading over separate parts in the same newspaper. While Nick looked over the stock sales, Gatsby read the weather report and the headlining news. Sunlight streamed in through the windows and the smell of coffee and buttered toast filled the room. The only noise was the occasional rustling of newsprint.

The couple did this often, every Sunday to be exact. Gatsby would send a servant to get the first copy of the Sunday paper and then he would immediately go across the lawn to Nick's house where they would read it together. It was one of their little habits that the both of them enjoyed immensely. It made them feel like a real couple, because inside either of their houses, that's what they were.

Nick yawned into his hand and then folded up his piece of the paper and laid it on the table. He grabbed his cup of coffee and took a slow sip, “You know, Jay, something has been bothering me for a while.”

Gatsby looked over the top of his section of the paper, he marked his spot with his thumb and then folded it in his lap. “What's that, old sport?”

Nick paused for a moment, “Well, the first time I ever went to one of your parties, I found myself in your library and I've been wondering why you haven't read any of your books.” He could remember clearly the eventful night that party was and the little, drunken owl-eyed man raving about all the books being uncut. “Why have all those books and not read them?”

A faint, embarrassed flush crept into Gatsby's cheeks and he smoothed back his hair which was a nervous habit of his. He remembered a bespectacled man who showed up to his parties already drunk, and always commented on his library in not-so-subtle ways that lead Jay to believe that he gave the books a thorough looking at. It never bothered him that that little man knew that his books was real, but he had never suspected that anyone else had taken the time to notice, let alone Nick. “Ah well- playing the part I suppose. What's the use of a library without any books? Even if I don't take the time to read any of them, it doesn't mean I don't enjoy the thought of having the time to sit down and read one someday.”

Nick gave a nod over his cup, he knew that Gatsby probably had the enough time on his hands to read a hundred books but he didn't say anything about it. They hadn't been together long and Nick was still working his best to chip through Jay's facade and to get to know the real him underneath all the glitz and glamour. “My cousin,” They had stopped saying Daisy's name once they had officially gotten together. “She has a library too, though every single book is just a phone book with a fake cover painted on. I was actually a bit disappointed when she shoved me.”

Gatsby perked up at that last part, “Well,” He started, giving a small shrug. “My library is open to you at anytime.. I'd even be glad to read with you. There's this small nook hidden behind the last shelf with a fireplace and a sofa big enough for us both... Perfectly hidden away.”

Nick flashed a small smile and felt a heat rise in his cheeks. “I'd enjoy that a lot, Jay. Maybe we could go over later this morning?”

“Later? Why, we can go now.”

And so it was settled. The two men finished their remaining coffee and last bites of toast before they set off across the lawn to Gatsby's house.

Even though it was just across the way and that Jay was his boyfriend, Nick couldn't help but feeling undressed besides him. Nick wore a simple white button up and slacks, while Jay wore a fine golden coloured suit.

When they entered through the back door the first thing that Nick noticed was the scent of oranges, on days when there wasn't a party happening for hours on end, the large manner seemed to always smell like oranges. Nick didn't mind though, with all the time he had spent in the house, the smell of oranges had become wonderfully familiar and even somewhat comforting.

They house felt empty as they walked up a grand staircase to the floor that housed the library, the sound of their shoes tapping and the quiet chatter of their voices seemed to echo loudly around them. When they came before the large doors of the library, Jay held one open for Nick with a gentle smirk on his lips. “After you, old sport.”

Nick rolled his eyes and chuckled as he walked in first, when Gatsby entered and the door shut behind them he took a hold of his hand. “What do you feel like reading?” He asked not looking at Jay, but instead at all the towering shelves packed neatly with books around them.

Jay smiled as he watched Nick admire the room, his thumb slowly grazing the back of his hand. “I don't know, I think I might just pick something at random. Let fate pick for me.” He leaned in and placed a quick kiss to Nick's cheek. “Let me show you to the back then,” He said and started walking through the rows of books, zigging and zagging.

It occurred to Nick that the library was actually some type of twisted, literature labyrinth and that without Jay's guidance he probably would’ve been lost between the stacks. “Fate huh?” He murmured, he never really believed in such a thing. “I think I'll do that too.”

They when they arrived at the little nook, as Jay called it, Nick noticed that it looked like the place was completely unused. A plush, navy sofa with dark clawed feet was pushed up against the wall by an empty stone fire place, and there was a dark wooden table that was clear all except for two ivory handled letter openers.

“Do you even use half of the things you have in this house of yours?” Nick asked with a disbelieving smile.

“I don't even use a forth of my things, Nick, let alone half.” Gatsby shook his head.

“You're sure something, you know that?”

“So you've told me,” Jay grinned, he pulled Nick closer towards him. “But, ah, remember, you're with this ‘ _ something’. _ ”

“I can't deny that,” Nick laughed and kissed Gatsby.

Jay smiled against the kiss, “I thought you wanted to read?” He asked once they pulled away.

“There's a lot of things I want to do in this world..  _ old sport,  _ you included.”

Gatsby loved Nick, he really did. When he thought about how much that man made his heart soar and his face hurt from smiling he could never figure out what made him fall for Daisy, a woman who had neither half of Nick's personality nor his charm. “We can get to that later,” He raised Nick's hand in his own and kissed his knuckle. “But for now- we're reading.”

Nick nodded with a smile, then the two of them separated into the stacks to find a book.

Gatsby was the first one back to the little nook, he had walked down three rows of books, then finally at the start of the fourth he closed his eyes and picked one at random. The one he came back with was a small paperback with a powder blue cover. It bore no title, just a name:  _ Hopkins. _ He sat down on the sofa and grabbed up one of the letter openers to cut the first page. A single flower filled the first page.

By the time Nick returned with his own book, Gatsby was a quarter of the way through his own. He perked up when Nick sat besides him, “What did you find then?”

Then held up a leather bound book, “It's called  _ Revolutionary Sparks.  _ What about you?” The sofa was small, both men sitting snugly next to each other, their knees and elbows touching.

“If mine has a title, I've yet to find it, bit it's a book of poems by someone named Hopkins. I've never been much for poetry but it's rather good.”

Nick peeked over Jay's shoulder to get a look at the book he was reading, “You never struck me as a poetry type of guy.”

“I never knew I enjoyed it, I always thought I hated it because Robert Frost’s work nearly always bored me to death.”

Nick snorted and picked up a letter opener from the table, “I love you, Jay, even if you are something.”

Gatsby grinned, “And I love you, Nick, even though you tease me horribly.”

**Author's Note:**

> My first natsby fic! I've had this idea floating around in my head for a while now! I was really happy to write it!


End file.
